Locomotive boiler



Sept. 1, 1931. c. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed July 15, 1929 Talented S ept. l, 193i untrue STATES PATENT caries amen-is e. HAWLEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX COMPANY, or CHECAGO, ILLINOIS, a oonrona'rrou or DELAWARE LoCoMo'rivE BOILER Application filed July 13,

This invention relates to improvements in locomotive boilers and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In boilers of this kind equipped in the firebox with the well known thermic siphons, the inlet end of the siphon communicates eitherwith the front water leg or a point in the boiler in advance thereof and opens at its discharge end through the crown sheet, the discharge end having an area greater than that of said inlet end. The inlet neck which is usually a continuation of the bottom portion of the siphon, is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the inner throat- In use the slphon is subjected to the intense heat end the velocity of the water is greater at said inlet end and is progressively reduced toward the discharge end. Such water entering the siphonat the inlet end, therefore, sweeps the adjacent wall portion of the si-, phon clean of all sediment and this cleaning action of course diminishes in eifect at different distances away from said inlet end.

This diminishing efiect is felt to the great- "est extent along the bulged bottom ofthe siphon and the more sluggish the water action becomes, the greater the tendency for the adherence of deposits upon the inner sur-' face of the siphon Wlbh resulting reduction in eficiency.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple constructlon whereby a part of the high velocity water entering the inlet neck, is directed out of' its normal path without substantial loss of velocity, toward andagainst predetermined surface areas spaced fromfsaid inlet, whereby such areas are maintained cleansed of de- 7 posits in a manner increasing the'heat conv ductively thereof as well as the water steaming and circulating action of both the boiler and siphon.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 1929. Serial no. 378,150.

vide a water conducting member in said sinhon whereby a part of the high velocity water 1s dlrected toward those portions of the siphon where the water action is more sluggish sothat such action is increased or accelerated with resulting beneficial effects.

ihese ob3ects oi the invention as wellas others, together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear asI proceed with my specification. 1 r V In the drawings Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through thefirebox endof a locomotive boiler embodying one form of my invention;

tional view through the bottom part of the,

siphon on an enlarged scale.

f Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 through the neck end of the siphon and adjacent firebox parts; 7

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical detail sectional view as taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring now in detail to that'embodi- I ment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 tog inclusive of the accompanying drawings, the firebox of a'locomotive boilercomprises a fluesheet 1, rear sheet 2, crown sheet 3 and side sheets l l, the bottom portion of the flue sheet forming the inner throat sheet 5 all disposed in the manner found in fireboxes of this kind. (i'indicates the top sheet of the boiler, 7 the outer side sheets, 8 the outer back sheet, 9 the shell and 10 the outer front throat sheet of the boiler.

Several of said sheets mentioned coact to form, thefront throat 11, back water leg 12 and side water legs 13513 all closed at the bottom by a mud ring 14. in the shell 9 and connected'to the flue sheet 1 are the usual tubes 15 through which the products of combustion pass on theirway to thesmoke box (not shown) in the manner well known. 16 indicates the coacting flanges integral with the sheets 2 fuel door opening formedv by.

andS respectively. The construction above described may well be i aken as typical of that found in the locomotive boilers now in general use.

To increase the water circulating and steaming efiiciency of such boilers, additional heating elements are employed in the firebox and such elements usually draw boiler water from the front water leg or from the shell at a'point in advance thereof and discharge the same usually through the crown sheet. As an example of such an element I have illustrated what has now become known as the Nicholson thermic siphon and with which my present invention is associated.

Such siphons are of different types but all embody the same generic principles of operation and such types by reason of the difference in shape or structure have become classified as a plain siphon or as a bull nose or round corner siphon. The invention as herein illustraled and as herein described is of especial utility in connection with a siphon of the last mentioned kind.

17 indicates as a whole such an element or siphon and the number and size of such elements or siphon employed in a firebox, is of course dependent upon ihe width and length of the firebox. Said siphon comprises a flat hollow body 18 of substantially triangular shape, open atthe top and a tubular inlet neck 19. The siphon body includes spaced side walls 20-20 front and rear end walls 21 and 21 respectively and a clownwardly and forwardly bulged bottom por-- tion 22 that merges at one end into the neck 19 and is connected at its other end by a rounded corner or pocket 23 with said rear wall; said corner being responsible for the term bull nose or round corner as employed in connection with such a siphon to distinguish it from one where such a corner is not employed and is known as a plain siphon Such a bull nose or round corner siphon is often desired because it permits the use of a longer brick arch (not shown) without bringing its rear end too close to the crown sheet.

The side walls 20-20 of the body of the siphon are connected together by staybolts 24 and other staybolts 24 are employed in and extend transversely of the neck 19. The top end of the siphon side and end walls are flanged outwardly as at 25 to engage and be secured in a suitable opening provided therefor in the crown sheet. The bottom end of the neck 19 is engaged in and welded to a flexible diaphragm 26 formed in the inner throat sheet 5. In operation, the siphon is subjected to the heat of the burning fuel in the firebox and this of course raises the temperature of the water in the siphon whereby a portion is generated into steam.

Such steam and water in the siphon being displaced by the heavier water from the neck 19 and the lower part of the boiler, passes upwardly to be discharged into the boiler space above the crown sheet. This action results in the entrance of water from the front throat and through the neck 19 at a high velocity. As the water enters the larger body from the neck, its velocity is reduced, with a corresponding reduction in action so far as con cerns the washing or cleaning the rearward interior parts of the siphon which are relatively remote from said neck.

To overcome this condition and confine a part of the water entering the siphon to its original entering velocity and to direct such water under such velocity without apprcciable reduction so that the same is discharged against interior surface portions of the siphon spaced from the neck, I provide a tube 27 in said bulged portion 22, with one end so disposed as to receive water from the bottom of the boiler and to discharge it from its other end against the interior surface of the corner or pocket 23 of the siphon. Such a tube 27 as shown in Figs. 14 and 6 extends down into the neck 19 to terminate substantially in the front water leg 11. Said tube may be supported in position in several different manners and in Fig. 1 the same is shown as supported at predetermined points by hangers 28 each surrounding at one end portions of the tube and each engaged at its other end upon convenient staybolts 24. That part of said tube positioned in the neck 19 is supported by the neck staybolts 24, which pass transversely through the tube as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively. Thus the hangers 28 and, the staybolts 24; support the tube in a position coaxial with the neck 19 and bulged portion 22 of the siphon.

By the construction described, a part of the water entering the siphon is discharged against interior surfaces of the siphon at points removed from the neck thereof without an appreciable reduction in velocity. Thus the parts of the siphon are washed free from sediment so that they are indeed clean with a resulting increase in therniic conducting qualities.

WVhile in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 2- 1. In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox, a thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a high Velocity inlet end and a lower velocity outlet end opening through two different sheets of the firebox there being a pocket in said siphon between said ends, and means in said siphon providing a conduit having inlet end associated Fir with the inlet of the siphon and having an outlet end for directing high velocity water against said pocket in said siphon.

2. In combination with a locomotive firebox, a thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a low velocity outlet end and a higher velocity inlet end opening through two different sheets of the firebox there being a pocket in said siphon between said ends and means in said siphon providing a conduit having an outlet end arranged to direct water into said pocket and an inlet end receiving high velocity water from the bottom part of the boiler.

3. In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox, a thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a high velocity inlet neck opening through one sheet of the firebox and a low velocity discharge mouth opening through another sheet of the firebox, there being a pocket in said siphon spaced from said neck and means in said siphon for'directing a part ofthe high velocity water entering said inlet neck into said pocket.

I. In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox, a thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a high velocity inlet neck 7 opening through one sheet of thefirebo x and a low velocity discharge mouth opening through another sheet of the firebox there inlet end receiving, water from the bottom v part of the boiler.

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 8th day of July, 1929.

CHARLES G. HAWLE Y.

being a pocket in said siphon between said neck andinouth and a tube arranged in said 1 siphon in a position having one end associatedwith said neck for directing apart of the water entering the same into said pocket.

5. In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox a staybolted thermic siphon disposed in said firebox andhaving a high velocity inlet end and a low velocity outlet end opening through two different sheets of the firebox there being a pocket in said siphon between said ends and means in said siphon and supported by some of the staybolts thereof providing a conduit having an outlet end to direct high velocity water into said pocket and an inlet end receiving high velocity water from the bottom part of the boiler.

6. In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox a staybolted thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a high velocity inlet end and a low velocity outlet end opening through two different sheets of the firebox there being a pocket in said siphon between said ends, means disposed in said si hon providing a conduit having an outlet en to direct high velocity water into said pocket and an inlet end receiving high velocity water from the bottom part of the boiler and hangers connecting said means to some of said staybolts for supporting said means in position in said siphon.

7 In combination with a locomotive boiler firebox, a thermic siphon disposed in said firebox and having a high velocity inlet end and a low velocity outlet end opening through 

